8th February 2018

Olympic champion Lizzy Yarnold will lead Team GB into tomorrow night’s Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games after being selected as Flagbearer today.

Yarnold will lead Team GB athletes into the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium where the Opening Ceremony will officially mark the start of the 23rd Olympic Winter Games. Team GB’s 59 athletes are set to compete across 11 sports in the 16 days of competition that follow.

The 29-year-old, who was chosen as Flagbearer for the Closing Ceremony four years ago at Sochi 2014, will look to defend her title when the women’s event gets underway on Friday 16th February.

Yarnold is aiming to become the first British Winter Olympian to retain her Olympic crown, with her success in Sochi following three successive skeleton medals with gold for Amy Williams in 2010, silver for Shelley Rudman in 2006 and bronze for Alex Coomber in 2002.

The winning margin of 0.97 seconds in Sochi was the largest in Olympic history as Yarnold registered two track records and the fastest down time in each of the four runs.

Yarnold won every major accolade in the sport in just 407 days across 2014 and 2015, with an overall World Cup season win, a European Championship title and a World Championship crown completing a remarkable 14-month stint for the former heptathlete.

Yarnold took a season away from the ice in 2015/16 but returned to the circuit last season, winning a silver World Cup medal in Lake Placid and a bronze at the 2017 World Championships in Konigssee in February.

The current World Cup campaign began with another bronze in the opening race in Lake Placid in November and concluded with a fourth-place finish in Konigssee last month as she placed ninth in the overall World Cup rankings.

Team GB will enter the stadium sporting adidas’s artic climaheat tech jacket, fitted with down insulation and a temperature threashold of up to -40 degrees. Athletes will also be kitted out with a fleece-lined beanie hat, salopettes and Continental soled boots as well as base layers, gloves and hand-warmers.

Lizzy Yarnold said: “My first reaction when I was asked to be Flagbearer was complete excitement and I’m really proud to march in front of the whole team. There are so many talented athletes competing here for Team GB at this Olympic Games and hopefully this can be the start of our most successful ever Winter Olympics.

“Being Flagbearer at Sochi felt like a real celebration whereas this time around it’s a completely different responsibility. This could be the start of something really special and I hope the other athletes aren’t too far behind me as we’re very much one team going into these Games.”

Mike Hay, Team GB Chef de Mission for PyeongChang 2018, said: “As a defending champion and model athlete, Lizzy is the ideal choice to lead Team GB into the Olympic Stadium tomorrow evening.

“She has achieved so much in skeleton over the last four years and I’m sure this will be another proud moment for one of our finest winter athletes. For the rest of the delegation, to follow behind an Olympic champion into the Opening Ceremony will no doubt be great boost for what we hope will be a successful and memorable Games for Team GB.”

In this week’s edition of our newsletter you’ll find: The Weekend Wrap, Next Home Games, February Half-Term Community Camp, On The Website, Want To Play 3×3 Basketball?, Fancy Joining Our Community Leagues?, Shop Online?, Community Sessions, Walking Basketball At Amaechi Basketball Centre and National League Fixtures And Results. We hope you enjoy it.

The Weekend Wrap

A last second three from Herman Senor II handed the Manchester Magic their seventh league defeat of the season, with Team Solent Kestrels picking up a one point victory, 84-83.

In a game that was close for the majority, it was looking like it would come down to the wire, and it did. Kestrel’s Herman Senor II hitting a three with just 0.2 seconds remaining in the game. The Magic called a time out to draw up a play for a possible tip in, the ball was in bounded and time expired.

This means Magic are now drawn into a regulation battle, as five teams all have six wins, with the Magic currently on top of the pile in 8th spot having a superior point difference and having played less games there’s opportunity to move back up the table.

Magic were led by Donte Gittens, who had 22 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Stefan Gill had 16 points, 4 assists and 2 blocks, Michael Anumba had 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks, Richard Bell picked up a tidy double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds, and he also had 3 blocks. Ryan Lewis just missed out on one with 9 points and 13 rebounds and Lee Goldsbrough had 7 points and 8 rebounds.

Up next the Magic, they travel to old foes Reading Rockets on Sunday 11th February at 5:00pm, looking to end the losing streak.

The Mystics struggled from the field for large parts of the game, doing well to close the gap by the end of the game to just ten points, by a sequence of good defence stopping the Wildcats scoring and going on a couple of scoring runs towards the end of the contest. Mystics slip down to 4th place in the WBBL table with a record of 9-3.

The next game for the Mystics will be on Saturday 17th February against Team Northumbria at 4:00pm at the National Basketball Performance Centre.

Magic 2 Seniors lost by a single point to Kingston Panthers, 69-68, on the road, they sit in 9th spot in the Division 4 North with a record of 5-10.

Magic U18 beat City of Leeds Basketball Academy (Allerton High) 102-75 on the road on Saturday and they made it two wins in the weekend with an 83-47 victory over Liverpool on Sunday. They sit in 3rd in the Premier North with a record of 13-3. The Magic U18 now know who they face in the National Cup Final on Saturday 24th February at Worcester Arena it will be Charnwood College Riders after they beat Haringey Hawks in the other Semi-Final this weekend.

Mystics U18 best Newcastle Eagles 73-58 on the road, they sit in 3rd in the North Division with a record of 11-3.

Magic U16 beat Mansfield Giants 76-63 on the road; they top the North Premier with a record of 11-1. Trafford U18 maintained their 100% record in the league with a 74-40 victory at Lancashire Spinners Bury; they sit in 1st place in the North West Division with a record of 7-0.

Trafford U16 lost a close game to Cheshire Phoenix, 72-68, leaving them in 7th place in the North Premier with a record of 3-9.

Mystics U16 lost 62-79 at Surrey Goldhawks on Saturday, but beat Sevenoaks Suns 91-42 at home on Sunday, they sit in 5th in the Premier with a record of 8-8. Mystics 2 U16 picked up a 77-58 victory at Northants Lightning, they sit in 4th in the North Division with a record of 6-6.

Magic U14 got a 78-68 road win at City of Leeds Gold, they sit in 2nd in the Premier North with a game in hand over leaders City of Birmingham, they have a record of 14-1. Magic 3 U14 picked up a 71-34 road win at Cheshire Phoenix 2 on Saturday and followed it up with a 73-57 victory over Oldham Eagles at home on Sunday they sit in 3rd place in the North West II Division, with a record of 11-5.

Mystics U14 earned a 70-38 road victory at local rivals Lancashire Spinners; they sit in 2nd place in the North Division with a record of 9-1.

Teams that did not play this weekend: Magic 2 U14 sit in 2nd in the North West I Division with a record of 10-4. Mystics 2 U14 sit in 7th in the North Division with a record of 2-8.

Upcoming Magic fixtures:

Sunday 11th February at Reading Rockets at 5:00pmSaturday 17th February vs Team Newcastle University at 6:30pm
Sunday 18th February at Bradford Dragons at 4:15pm
Saturday 24th February at Hemel Storm at 7:00pm
Saturday 3rd March at Worthing Thunder at 7:30pmSaturday 10th March vs Lancashire Spinners at 6:30pm
Sunday 11th March vs Leicester Warriors at 5:00pm
Saturday 17th March vs Bradford Dragons at 6:30pm
Sunday 18th March at Derby Trailblazers at 4:15pm

Want To Play 3×3 Basketball?

Want to play 3×3 basketball? We’re planning on running leagues for men, women and juniors on Wednesday and Sunday nights (8pm-10pm) at the Amaechi Basketball Centre. If you would like to register your interest or want to know more, drop an email to Toloe, our Basketball Development Officer, at toloe@manchestermagicandmystics.co.uk or call him on 0161 881 0090.Why 3×3?

It’s growing hugely in popularity.
It’s simple to play.
It’s exciting to watch
Each squad only needs 4 players
And each squad plays several games in one night
Oh, and it will become an Olympic sport at the Tokyo Games in 2020

Fancy Joining Our Community Leagues?

Our Monday adult leagues, which restarted on Monday 18th September after the summer break. It costs just £24 per team per game and you’ll be playing at the fantastic Amaechi Basketball Centre in Whalley Range. If you’d like to enter a team or want to know more, contact league organiser Jane Thomas-Johnson on 07968 077138.

We are running 4 leagues in total: A Foundation League for mixed abilities (Approximate age range: 8-12). A Development League; (Age range: 9-13); A Premier League for players just below National League standard (Age range: 12-15); and a College League (Age range: 14-17).

If you are interested and want to know more, contact Phil Gordos on 07872412926 or the office on 0161 881 0090.

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